Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Happy New Year 2009

Time flies. Another year is going to end. No matter it was a good year, a bad year, it has come to an end. We will usher in a new year in a couple of hours' time. No matter it will be a good year, a bad year, a new year will come.

If you think it is going to be a bad year, then try your best to turn it into a good year. If you think it is going to be a good year, then make it even better. In either case, make it a fun year, and a fulfilling year.

May all your wishes come true in 2009! :D

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Something wrong? Or someone has escaped?

When I came back from Orchard this evening, I was greeted by two policemen who were holding those army combat guns at Admiralty MRT station. One each at the escalator.

I was wondering, hum? What has happened? I am aware that from time to time, policemen will be onboard the MRT train and patrol around the MRT stations, but usually they come in group of 4, and only armed with handguns. However, today, the two guys were wearing red beret, and holding those combat guns, the long ones.

Someone else has escaped? I hope not! Otherwise we will have a hard time again at all the land checkpoints.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

李叔同《驪歌/送別》

李叔同《驪歌/送別》

長亭外 古道邊 芳草碧連天
晚風拂 柳笛聲殘 夕陽山外山
天之涯 地之角 知交半零落
一壺濁酒盡餘歡 今宵別夢寒
韶光逝 留無計 今日卻分袂
驪歌一曲送別離 相顧卻依依聚雖好 
別雖悲 世事堪玩味來日後會相予期 
去去莫遲疑

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Fish & Co.

I have never been a big fan of Fish & Co. The last time I had a meal at Fish & Co. at Wheelock place, I got a stomach-ache, not diarrhea yet, but bad enough.

Today, since my big brother wanted to have our dinner at Fish & Co. @T2 Changi Airport, so I just went with the flow.

I ordered a swordfish collar. I thought it would be tiny piece of fish and then I could finish it at easy. It turned out to be two gigantic pieces of fish. I think, as the name says, the portion of the fish between the head & body. The bone is gigantic, and suprisingly there is still lots of meat for me to go around. The fish is a bit dry, no juice, but then if you dip it into the sauce that comes with the fish, the taste actually is not bad.

We happily finished our meal, paid our bill and left the place. I hit the call of nature and immediately went to the toilet to relief myself. Then by the time I came back to meet my big brother, then I found him talking to the assistant manager of Fish & Co., Cris, who was holding the bill. My big brother told me Cris was saying we were undercharged! We had to pay more! WTH??!! My big brother took out his handphone and use the calculator there to do the calculation and then proved we were correctly charge! Cris just went off without saying sorry or apologize in the any form. It was so rude. She made us look as if we were cheats!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Connection to eBay is slow....

I don't know whether others have experienced the same, access to eBay.com.sg is very slow. It gets even worse after 10pm. Does it mean many internet users are browsing through eBay hunting for bargains in the late evening?

Many times I encountered very slow response, pages didn't load. Headache....

Sunday, December 21, 2008

How to make money with your photos - My eBook Launch

Ok, finally this day has come. I am launching my first ever eBook now. See details below:


Title:
How to make money with your photos
---- Beginner's guide to microstock photography


Medium: eBook

Price: SGD$5.00


This book is specially written for people who have already gone into/are going into photography, who want to share their joy and passion of photography, while making some return/rewards from their hobby to fund their expensive hobby, or even make a living.

It will be the key to open the door to the mountain of wealth. Once you are there, it is up to you to decide how much wealth you want to get.

Anyone interested can contact me for the eBook.

Thanks in advance for your support!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Books for Sale

I decided to keep a list of books that I am putting up for sales at eBay. If anyone is interested, you can contact me directly.

All the books below are for worldwide sale, non-Singapore buyers can contact me for shipping charges.

1. Magazine: Photographers' Companion


The magazine is in Chinese. It is a popular photography magazine among the photography hobbists and professions alike in China. Filled with beautiful photos of the Chinese landscape, as well as photography equipment reviews, guide to best locations to shoot in China, etc.

Start bid price: S$1.00

eBay auction link: http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=220331358409

2. Photography Book: Man - Power & Beauty


This book is a collection of works on Chinese artistic male nudes by award-winning Chinese photographer Wei Yu-ming. Comes with a free pocket-size book with even more photos.

Start bid price: S$5.00

eBay auction link:
http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=220331360940

3. Photography Book: The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Photography


Start bid price: S$2.00

eBay auction link:
http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=220330863282

Happy Chirstmas shopping :)

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Book Sales

I am selling off some of my old books. I spent the whole night struggling with eBay. I am required to verify my identification, and then the US eBay site is like crawling. Pages don't show up, time out. All kinds of crazy stuff. At the end, I can only settle with local Singapore eBay.

I put up the ad for my 1st book for sale, an old guide book on photography. Anyone interested can take a look at it here:

http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=220330863282

Happy Christmas shopping!

Monday, December 15, 2008

Beginner's Guide to Microstock Photography - Continued

The online book 'arrived' over the weekend and I anxiously went through the 150-page book.

Here is my comment:

If you are starting in BOTH photography AND microstock, then it is a good book for you. It introduces you to all the starting basics of photography, including topics such as choice of equipment, photography fundamentals, etc.

However, if you are already familiar with the photography part, especially if you are already a practising photographer, or even a semi-pro or pro photographer, then this book is not so suitable. You won't reap the full benefits of the book, as almost half of it has been dedicated to basic photography knowledge.

The two authers, Laurin Rinder & David Smith, they are great photographers, and they were already good photographers before they ventured into microstock. This is an advantage to them, but at the same time, it also became their 'disadvantage' in the sense that they didn't struggle as much as other beginners. As a result, they might not know so well what or how the real amateurs strugle.

After reading through the book, I am getting a bit more confident about my own version of the Beginner's Guide to Microstock Photography. My version will be useful for the busy pros, semi-pros and amateurs alike.

So stay tuned for the launch of my version of the beginner's guide :)

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Sushi - 寿司 - すし

I just found an interesting entry in the eat shoot blog about sushi. There is an YouTube video clip teaching people the etiquette of eating sushi, however, looking at the way it is done, I am not very sure they are actually serious about it.

Anyway, he mentioned about his experience at the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo Japan. It is such a pity that I didn't actually go there to taste the high quality sushi there during my last trip. I actually was not very sure what to expect if I did go there.

Now it is different. Dr Leslie Tay recommended two shops, one is Sushi Dai, the other is Sushi Daiwa. Next time when I am there, I can give them a try.

Ok, here is Dr Tay's sushi entry:
http://ieatishootipost.sg/2008/12/tokyo-eats-part-4-sushi-daiwa-sashimi.html

But talking about sushi, I did very much miss the sushi I had in Tokyo. It was pricy, but the taste was really good. So tender, so juicy, so fresh. OMG, I must stop here before I get myself hungry...

One more thing, when I was in Japan, heard that there was some kind of scam going on against foreigners having sushi at those shops around Tsukiji fish market. The claim is that the shops serve lower grade tuna to the unknowning customers at the higher grade tuna's price. Alama, how can I tell which one is the higher grade tuna, which one is not?

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Beginner's Guide to Microstock Photography

Just placed an order for this book written by two successful microstock photographers.

http://www.rindersmithphotography.com/

Now anxiously waiting for the notification email's arrival so that I can start learning from the great guys. You see much further whilst sitting on the shoulder of a giant :)

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

First EL Sales - Dirt Cheap Though

I just got my first EL sales at Fotolia.com. Just when I was to show a happy face, I found the total credit for that EL. Guess how much was it? USD$6.60. What a 'great' sum! I was expecting something like 20 bucks!

Now I am wondering, I upload my photos to many sites, would people just go to the cheaper site to get the same photo at a lower price? Mmmmh....

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Trading For A Living

Title: Trading for a living - Psycholog, Trading tactics, Money Management
Author: Dr. Alexander Elder
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc 1992

This is a must-read book for whoever wants to learn investment and/or trading for a living.

The author, Dr. Alexander Elder, was born in Leningrad & grew up in Estonia. You can't find Leningrad anymore, as it is now known as St. Peterburg. So you know he was born in the era of communist Russia. And he is a psychiatrist.

The opening charter is dedicated to alcoholics :) Well, not really. Just that he compares a loser in trading with an alcoholic and the similarity is alarming.

This book teaches the most important aspect of investment or trading, which is how to manage your psychology. People have the false impression that stock traders do not need the traditional virtues such as hard-working, patience, professionalism, etc. This book simply debukes all those myths. Just as in any other profession you can think of, the success of a trader or investor MUST have good EQ.

Read this book if you are serious in making some money in the stock market.